Bali Declaration Offers a Progressive Vision for World’s Youth

Written By: Jennifer RednerDecember 21, 2012

As I reported previously, the ICPD Global Youth Forum in Bali earlier this month brought passionate engagement by young people committed to securing a healthy and just life for youth worldwide. The Forum closed on December 6 with a celebratory reading of the key recommendations from the various multi-stakeholder consultations that took place related to five themes: Staying Healthy, Education, Decent Work, Youth Leadership and Participation, and Families, Rights, and Sexuality.

The key recommendations are included in a public declaration. Please take a look and share your thoughts with us. We here at the International Women’s Health Coalition are thrilled that young people and adult allies from governments, civil society, the private sector, multilateral agencies, and other stakeholders from around the world spoke out in support of a bold and progressive vision for what the global community must do in partnership with youth to achieve the largest generation ever of educated, empowered, safe, and healthy young people.

Only by working together as a global community and as individuals can we realize this bold and achievable vision of what young people want, need, and deserve. UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin rightly described the process of meeting the sexual and reproductive health and human rights of young people as “a journey of 1,000 miles [that] starts with the first step.”

We look forward to working with and on behalf of young people to realize the key recommendations contained in the Bali Declaration, including with UNFPA which did an exemplary job ensuring that the process remained youth-led and youth-driven. We simply cannot progress as communities and nations without continuing to make these important leaps forward on our collective journey of 1,000 miles to secure an educated, empowered, safe, and healthy future for all.

One Response to "Bali Declaration Offers a Progressive Vision for World’s Youth"

Achieving and maintaining health is an ongoing process, shaped by both the evolution of health care knowledge and practices as well as personal strategies and organized interventions for staying healthy. Thank you.